Tire ply server

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for delivering to a drum of a tire-building machine one or more successive lengths of ply-forming material from large supply rolls in which by controlled movement, a leading edge or edges of said lengths are placed in predetermined contact or proximity to the drum by automatic means. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be made to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

United States Patent [72] inventors PaulE.Appleby Cuyahoga Falis; James C. McGarr, Akron. both of Ohio [211 App! No. 873,492 [22] Filed Nov. 3, 1969 [4S] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee The Goodyear Tire& Rubber Company Akron, Ohio [54] TIRE PLY SERVER 23 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

52 us. Cl 242/673, 242/57 [51] Int. Cl B65h 17/18 [50] FieldoiSearch 242/55. 571,671.67.2.67l3,67.5.75,S2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,039,532 /1936 Heston 242/673 X 8 2oo 222 252 23l i c 234 242 I l34' 448 :4 0 2(2 430 402 h me Q 34 54/ I 32 I32/ I44 430 L at e 32 64 mo l v |so l32 I 62 B se 62 l 66 l I52 J {A U 154 1 R: I L \%l V A) 48 i l l. I501 I50] I l W 56 1 f.

I l i I I I 2a 1 III] 3,623,677

2,480,704 8/1949 Brethn t l v 242/673 2,755,028 7/1956 Noall l. 242/67,} 3,0l2.735 12/1961 Nebout 242/673 3,044,727 7/l962 Holroyd et all 242/673 3,325,072 6/1967 Black et al l l v l. 242/571 X Primary Examiner-Stanley N Gilreath Assislanl ExaminerWerner H. Schroeder AimrneysF. W. Brunner and Robert S. Washburn ABSTRACT: An apparatus for delivering to a drum of a the building machine one or more successive lengths of plyforming material from large supply rolls in which by controlled movement. a leading edge or edges of said lengths are placed in predetermined contact or proximity to the drum by automatic means.

The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application. reference must be made to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

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L mwmm INVENTORS PAUL E. APPLEBY JAMES C. McGARR AGENT PATENTEDrmvaomn 3623,67.

1 IN VENTORS PAUL E. APPLEBY JAMES C. McGARR BY A 5. Wm

AGENT PATENTED HID/30197! SHEET BF 8 Y M B E L NP D- A W E L U A P JAMES C. McGARR AGENT TIRE PLY SERVER This invention relates to the manufacture of pneumatic vehicular tires, and in particular to an apparatus for supplying material in sheet or ply form to a building drum upon which the material is wrapped to build a tire.

It is important in the building of vehicle tires of satisfactory quality that all of the components and particularly the several lengths of material in ply form making up the assembled tire carcass be applied to the tire-building drum undistorted and in proper location and alignment to the drum. It is also much to be desired that the components including sheet or ply material, herein referred to as stock, be applied to the drum with a minimum of physical effort and expenditure of time of a tire builder.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an apparatus capable of delivering a predetermined length of a selected stock to the tire-building drum in proper geometric relation with said drum and free from strain, distortion or misalignment.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for delivering to the tire-building drum a preselected sequence and plurality of tire-building stocks from a supply roll or rolls containing a quantity of such stock sufi'rcient for a substantial number of tires.

An additional object of the invention is to provide apparatus capable of placing each leading edge of tire ply stock from a successive plurality of supply rolls into a precise predetermined relationship with the tire-building drum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus capable of placing each leading edge of tire ply stock from a successive plurality of supply rolls into a precise predetermined relationship with the tire-building drum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus capable of delivering ply stock from a supply roll thereof into a predetermined proximate relation with the tire drum and then mechanically connect the delivering apparatus and the tire-building drum so that the surface speeds of the stock and of the building drum are substantially equal during a single revolution of the drum, and then, after severing from the stock the length wrapped about the drum, withdrawing the stock away from the tire-building drum.

Additional objects and advantages to be obtained by the use of the present invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art of building tires, or will be particularly pointed out in the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and with reference to the drawings forming a part of this application in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation ofa portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 oriented as indicated by the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus oriented as indicated by lines 3-3 in FIG. 1, the length of the apparatus being shortened by omission of portions thereof to enable the showing of significant details in larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in front elevation oriented as indicated by lines 4-4 of FIG, I; and

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are schematic diagrams of control circuits employed in operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

In general, apparatus in accordance with the invention is divisible, for purposes of description, into four parts. The first part in the following description includes that part of the apparatus accommodating a plurality of large supply rolls of tirebuilding stock together with means for unwinding such stock from the respective rolls, The second part which will be described includes means for receiving and conveying stock between the respective supply rolls and the tire building drum. A third part described has to do with movement of the conveying means laterally in directions parallel to the axis of the tirebuilding drum. The fourth part includes control of the several functions of the apparatus during the operation thereof.

With reference to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus 10 includes a frame 12 comprising a pair of generally horizontal parallel upper beams 14,16 supported by a pair of columns 18,20 located near the building drum 22 in fixed spaced relation to the axis 24 of the drum 22 of the tire-building machine 26 with which the apparatus 10 cooperates. The beam 14, at the near side of the apparatus as seen in FIG. 1, is supported by a column 28 located near the end of the beam 14 remote from the building drum. The beam 16, at the far side of as seen in FIG. 1, is carried upon columns 30 and 32, each respectively associated with one of the supply rolls R and R, as will be more fully described. The beams 14,16 and the respectively associated columns are parallel to a central vertical plane 36, which is perpendicular to the rotational axis 24 of the tire-building drum 22, and are spaced apart approximately equidistantly from the plane 36 which is normal to the axis 24 and contains the midcircumferential line about said drum.

FIRST PART: STOCK LETOFF Tire-building stock, for example, reinforcing tire cord stock coated with unvulcanized rubber compound, is supplied into the apparatus in rolls of large diameter by a transporter or truck 40 which, during unwinding of the stock from the roll, becomes a part of the apparatus 10. The truck 40 is supported by a pair of straight wheels 42 and a pair of swivel wheels 44 for rolling movement to and into the apparatus, for removal from the apparatus, as well as elsewhere as required.

Referring also now to FIG. 2, each supply roll R,R contains a running length of tire-building stock S wound in successive alternating convolutions with a separating liner L which is, at least in the direction of its own length, inextensible relative to the tire-building stock S. The liner L wound with the stock upon the core 48 serves the dual purpose of preventing the blocking or adherence of the successive layers of the stock to each other and of effecting the withdrawal of the stock from the unwinding roll. In the first part of the apparatus, a plurality of assemblies, herein referred to as letoffs, supply stock to be unwound from rolls R. In the apparatus 10, two such assemblies, letoffA and letofi' B are generally identical. Letoff A is described. Numerals let-off parts in letoff A are applied to like parts in letoff B, a prime being added where distinction is required.

The truck 40 is fabricated by welding a pair of ends 50, each shaped like the letter A, upright on the shorter sides of a rectangular base 52. The straight wheels 42 are mounted by suitable attachments beneath the midpoints of the longer sides of the base 52. A peripheral groove 54 of V section is formed in the rim of each of the wheels 42. The swivel wheels 44 are mounted in castoring attachments beneath the midpoints of the shorter sides. A spindle 56 formed of a square bar or the like carries coaxially and corotatably thereon the core 48 of the supply roll R, and is supported for rotation in a bearing 60 fixed on the crossbar of each of the ends 50. A second spindle 62 in form like spindle 56, carries a core 64 coaxially and corotatably thereon upon which the liner L alone is wound. The spindle 62 is supported for rotation in the bearings 66 fixed one at the top of each of the ends 50. The spindles 56 and 62 are parallel to each other in a vertical plane of symmetry of the truck 40, and each extends outwardly of the respective ends 50 for purposes which will appear presently. To guide the truck 40 into cooperative relation and alignment in the apparatus 10, the wheels 42 roll between guides 70 and on tracks 72 formed of structural angle disposed legs down to provide an inverted V section engageable with the grooves 54. The guides 70 and the tracks 72 extend at floor level across the width of the apparatus and parallel to the drum axis 24. The truck 40 and the spindles 56 and 62 are aligned parallel with the drum axis 24 by the respective tracks 72.

To provide connection between the respective spindles 56, 62 and the means for unwinding the roll R, coupling means mounted on each of the columns 30 and 32 and associated respectively with each of the trucks 40 are provided by the flexible coupling units and 82. The first coupling unit 80 comprises an inner hub 84 mounted on the column 30 for rotation about an axis collinear with the axis of the spindle 62 and supports a coaxial and corotatable flexible elastomeric member 86 of toroidal shape to which is coaxially and corotatably secured a second hub 88 having a coaxial hole 89 of square cross section or the like into which the end of the spindle 62 enters freely into rotational driving engagement. The second coupling unit 82 comprises an inner hub 90 mounted on the column 30 for rotation about tn axis collinear with the spindle 56 and carries coaxially and corotatably secured thereon a flexible elastomeric member 92 of toroidal form upon which an outer hub 94 is secured for coaxial corotation with the member 92 and the inner hub. The outer hub 94 also has a coaxial hole 96 of square cross section extending therethrough into which the spindle 56 can enter freely and be engaged in corotational driving relationv Providing means for unwinding the stock S from its roll R, a driving assembly 100, comprising the right angle gear reducer 105 and an electric motor 101 having a drive sprocket 102 connected by a drive chain 103 to a sprocket 104 mounted on the input shaft of the reducer, is mounted on a plate 106 fixed to the column 30. The output shaft 107 of the gear reducer is secured corotatably in the hub 84. On being energized, the motor 101 effects rotation of the spindle 62 and core 64 to wind the liner L alone thereabout.

Unwinding of the roll R and particularly overrunning thereof, i.e., rotation of the supply roll R at a rate greater than the winding of the liner therefrom by the motor 101, is controlled by a brake 110 having a brake disc 112 afiixed corotatably to a shaft 114 which is mounted in the bearings 116 carried by a bracket 118 secured to the column 30 and which shaft is secured coaxial ly and corotatably to the hub 90. Brake shoes 120 are controllably engageable and disengageable with the radial faces of the disc 112 and are carried in a yoke or caliper 122 affixed to the bracket and are operated by fluid pressure as will be discussed subsequently herein.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, to separate the stock S from the liner L as the supply roll R is unwound, a liner reversing roll 130 mounted rotatably in suitable bearings on the frame 12 with its rotation axis extending parallel to the spindle 62, supports the liner with the stock thereon. From the reversing roll 130, the liner alone is reversed in its direction of movement to travel generally downward over a spreader bar 132 and around the liner alone is reversed in its direction of movement to travel generally downward over a spreader bar 132 and around the liner core 64. A stripping roll 134 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings on the frame 12, with its rotation axis parallel to the axis of the roll 130, receives only the stock 8 as the same is stripped from the liner. The stock carried by the roll 134 is permitted to form a loop or festoon 140 downward from the stripping roll 134. The roll 130 is caused to rotate by the movement of the liner L thereover. A sprocket 142 mounted corotatably on the journal of the roll 130 is connected by a chain 144 to a sprocket 146 mounted on the journal of the roll 134 to effect rotation of the stripping roll. The driving ratios of the sprockets 142 and 146 and of the diameters of the rolls 130 and 134 are such that the stripping roll 134 will be driven by the rotation of the roll 130 at a surface speed of the reverse roll 130. The difference of approximately percent has been found to be satisfactory.

The aforementioned loop or festoon 140 of stock, one side of which depends from the stripping roll 134, is supported at its other side by conveying means to be described subsequently herein. Means for sensing the maximum downward extent of the loop 140 is provided by a photocell unit 150 or the like comprising a lamp 152 and a photoresponsive cell 154 of a known type mounted on the frame 12 so that the loop 140 at its maximum downward extent intercepts the light beam of 150. To ensure the presence of a loop during operation of the apparatus, a second sensing means is provided in the form of a photocell unit 160 mounted on the frame 12 so that its light beam will be intercepted by the loop 140 except when its downward extent becomes less than the desired minimum thereof.

SECOND PART: CONVEYING STOCK With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the apparatus 10 according to the invention provides means for receiving stock 8 from a supply roll R and for conveying such stock to a tire-building drum, the said means including a plurality of conveyors C and D arranged in over-and-under relation to one another and extending between their respective stock receiving ends 200,202 elevated substantially above the respective supply rolls 11,11 and the respective delivery ends 204,206 of the conveyors disposed at a lesser elevation above the tire-building drum 22. In the specific apparatus herein described, the two conveyors C and D are carried by inclined longitudinal side members 210,212 disposed parallel with the plane 36 and spaced respectively inwardly of the beams 14 and 16. Each conveyor comprises an endless belt of width sufficient to exceed the width of the stock S. In upper conveyor C, a belt 220 is turned about a receiving end roll 222 and about a delivery end roll 224 and while in the lower conveyor D, a belt 226 is turned around respectively the receiving end roll 228 and the delivery end roll 230, the respective rolls each being axially parallel to the axis 24 of the tire-building drum 22 and supported rotatably by extended journals carried in bearings affixed to the respective side members. Intermediate spans of the belts 220 and 226 between the respective end rolls are supported conventionally by additional rolls carried by the side members which rolls are omitted from the drawings as unnecessary for a clear understanding of the invention. Each of the belts 220 and 226 is also provided with conventional belt-tensioning or takeup means (not shown) mounted on side members 210,212.

The stock guide assemblies 231, each having a plurality of freely rotatable rollers 232 mounted between side plates 234, are fixed respectively to the side members 210,212 of the conveyor. The rollers 232 extend parallel to the respective spindles 62 and 62' and engage lightly the stock S moved thereover. Each of the assemblies 231 includes a manually adjusted pair of guide fences 236 which are moveable toward and away from each other by rotation of a hand knob (not shown) mounted one on each shaft 240 which has a right and a left-hand thread engaging corresponding threads of holes tapped in the respective fences 236. A pair of rollers 242 mounted in each fence 236 about rotational axes perpendicular to the plane of the stock S passing therealong touch the respective edges of the stock lightly when the fences are properly adjusted to the width of the stock.

In accordance with the present invention, first drive means effective to move the stock on the conveying means in the direction of its own length to advance a leading edge portion of the stock S toward the drum 22 and in a reverse direction is provided by a gear motor 250, having a conventional motor brake built within its frame, mounted upon the rear side member 212. The gear motor has an output shaft 252 carrying a driving sprocket 254. An air-operated clutch device 256 is mounted coaxially on the journal extension 258 of the roll 228. An identical device 260 is mounted on the journal extension 262 of the roll 222. Each of the clutch devices 256, 260 comprises an internal clutch member corotatably affixed to the respectively associated journal extension and an outer clutch member including a coaxial shell on which is mounted a driving sprocket 264,266 respectively. Each clutch device is operable to engage its sprocket corotatably with the respectively associated journal or to disengage the sprocket from such corotation, permitting the sprocket to idle with respect to the journal extension on which the device is mounted. Airoperated clutch devices of the type described are commercially available from Tol-O-Matic Corporation, Minneapolis Minn., identified as Tolomic Model TC-lOO. Each of the sprockets 264,266 is disposed in a plane common with the driving sprocket 252 and with an idler sprocket 267 suitably mounted on the side member 212. The sprockets are drivably connected by a suitable endless chain 268, the path of which is best understood by inspection of FIG. 1. As will presently appear, the gear motor 250 can be driven in either rotational sense responsive to control means subsequently discussed herein and is operative to drive a selected one of the conveyor belts 220,226 either forwardly toward the tire-building drum 22 or rearwardly to deliver stock into the loops 140,140, respectively.

Referring also to FIG. 4, in accordance with the invention, the conveyors C and D are provided additionally with second drive means which includes means for adjusting the speed ratio of such second drive means and which means are operable independently of the first drive means. The second drive means is arranged to be drivingly connected selectively between the respective conveyors and the tire-building drum. Means for adjusting the speed ratio of the second drive means is provided by a commercially available variable speed ratio device 280 such as a Specon Transmission, Model 12 from the Fairchild-Hiller Company, Long lsland City, NY. The device 280 is provided with a ratio-regulating shaft 281 operable in known manner to change the speed ratio of the output shaft 294 relative to the input shaft 284. Sprocket 283 fixed on shaft 281 is connected by an endless chain 285 to a sprocket 287 on shaft 289. The hand wheel 291 of shaft 289 is suitably located for adjustment of the speed ratio of the device 280 by the operator as required. An air-operated clutch device 282 identical to the devices 256,260 previously described is mounted on the input shaft 284 of the speed ratio device. The sprocket 286 of the clutch device 282 is connected by a chain 288 to a sprocket 290 suitably mounted on the spindle 292 of the tire-building drum 22 so that engagement of the clutch device 282 transmits driving power from the spindle 292 to the speed ratio device 280.

The output shaft 294 of the speed ratio device 280 is drivingly connected to an intermediate shaft 296 extending parallel to the drum axis 24, and supported for rotation on the members 210,212 by suitable bearings. The driving connection between the device 280 and the shaft 296 is provided by a conventional right-angle gear unit 300 including a pair of bevel gears, one of which is mounted coaxially and corotatably with the output shaft 294, the other of which is corotatably connected with a floating shaft 302 by a universal joint 304 and an axially splined coupling 306. A second rightangle gear unit 308 has a pair of bevel gears, one of which is connected by a universal joint 310 to the floating shaft 302, and the other corotatably to the intermediate shaft 296. A pair of sprockets 314,316 are corotatably secured on the intermediate shaft 296. Air-operated clutch devices 320,322 of the type hereinbefore described are mounted respectively on the journal extension 324 of the roll 230 of the conveyor D and the journal extension 326 of the roll 224. The sprocket 330 carried by the device 320 is drivably connected by a roller chain 332 with the sprocket 314 on the intermediate shaft 296 while the sprocket 334 of the other device 322 is drivably connected by the chain 336 with the sprocket 316. By selectively engaging the clutch of the device 282 and one of the clutches of the devices 320 or 322, the respectively associated conveyor belts 226 or 220 will be connected to be driven by or to drive the drum 22. I

To provide for stopping the movement of either conveyor belt 220 or 226 in order to position a leading edge E of the stock, as will be further described presently, the intermediate shaft 296 is provided with an air-operable brake 340, the rotor disc 344 of which is keyed to the end 342 of the intermediate shaft. The stator disc 346 of the brake is held by an anchor pin (not shown) to the side member 210 to resist rotation. Actuation of the brake 340 and of the clutch device 320 associated with roll 230, or the clutch device 322 associated with roll 224, operates to stop the movement of the respectively associated conveyor belt and of the drum 22. The surface speed of the drum and of the belt drivingly connected therewith are maintained equal by the second drive means, preventing relative movement, tending to change the length of the stock, between the drum and the stock being wound thereabout until the drum 12 is stopped at the desired angular position.

The guide assemblies 349 and 351 are mounted respectively at the delivering ends of the conveyors C and D. Each of the guide assemblies 349 and 351 is generally identical to the assemblies 231 previously described, extends between the side members 210 and 212, and receives the stock thereover from the respectively associated belt 220 or 226. Each assembly 349, 351 includes a plurality of freely rotatable carrying rollers 352 mounted in side plates 353 affixed respectively one to each of the side members and supports the stock being delivered in clear view of the tire-building machine operator. Each assembly 349,351 includes a manually adjusted pair of fences 354 adjustable toward and away from the central plane 36 in the manner previously described. The fences are preferably adjusted close to but out of contact with the lateral edges of the particular stock being delivered thereover.

To provide for locating the respective transverse leading edges E,E' of the stock S carried on the conveyors C and D at predetermined positions, represented by transverse lines 370 on conveyor C and 372 on conveyor D, the detector units 374,376 are adjustably positioned on the respective guide assemblies 349,351. Each detector unit 374,376 is a photocell having a light source and a light-sensitive receiver, or an equivalent means, responsive to the presence of the edges E,E at the respectively associated line.

THIRD PART: LATERAL MOVEMENT Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the apparatus 10 further includes means for effecting displacement of the conveyors C and D laterally from a generally centered position relative to the plane 36. To provide for such displacement, the side members 210,212 are supported by a cross-slide bar 400, fixed at its respective ends to the columns 18 and 20, and extending parallel with the axis 24, and a second cross-slide bar 402 fixed at its respective ends upon the beams 14 and 16 and extending parallel with the bar 400.

A pair of linear bearings 404 of the circulating ball type are secured respectively to the side members 210,212 and translatably engage the bar 400. A second pair of linear bearings 406 of the same type are respectively secured to the side members 210,212 and translatably engage the other cross-slide bar 402. The conveyors C and D are thus made laterally movable as a unit normal to the plane 36 and relative to the frame 12, while the direction of movement of each of the conveyor belts is maintained parallel to the central plane 36.

To effect the movement of the conveyors laterally, an offsetting drive gear motor 410 is mounted on the frame 12 in a position intermediate the ends 200,202 and the ends 204,206 of the conveyors. The gear motor 410 is provided with a pair ofoppositely projecting output shafts 412,414, the rotation axes of which extend generally parallel to the central plane 36. A crossscrew 416 of the circulating ball antifriction type is mounted rotatably in bearings 418,420 afiixed to the respective beams 14,1610 extend parallel to the cross-slide bars 400,402 and adjacent the receiving end of the conveyors. An end 422 of the screw 416 is coupled to one shaft 424 of a right-angle gear unit 426, the other shaft 428 of which is coupled to a floating shaft 430 which is drivingly connected to the output shaft 412 of the gear motor 410. A second cross-screw 432, like the screw 416 and parallel thereto, is mounted rotatably in bearings 434,436 on the respective beams 14,16. The rearward extension 438 of the screw 432 is coupled to the shaft 440 of a right-angle gear unit 442, the other shaft 444 of which is coupled to a floating shaft 446 extending collinearly of and toward the output shaft 414 of the gear motor 410. A floating shaft 450 coupled to the output shaft 414 extends collinearly of and toward the floating shaft 446. The proximate ends of the floating shafts 446 and 450 are respectively coupled coaxially to one bevel gear shaft 452 of a further rightangle gear unit 454 for purposes which will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow. The cross-screw shaft 416 is threadedly engaged with the antifriction nuts 458,460 of the circulating ball type which are nonrotatably secured respectively to the front 210 and rear 212 side members of the conveyor. A second pair of antifriction nuts 462,464 of the circulating ball type are threadedly engaged with the cross-screw 432, each nut being secured respectively, nonrotatably to one of the side members 210,212 of the conveyors. As will now be apparent, the two cross-screws 416,432 are positively connected for synchronous rotation and the correspondingly threaded nuts 458, 460', 462, 464 and the conveyors are moved thereby a predetennined amount normal or perpendicular to the central plane 36.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, to provide for adjusting the respective limits of movement of the conveyors C and D laterally with respect to the central plane 36, the offset drive motor 410 is connected, as mentioned, with the right-angle gear 454 unit, the other bevel gear shaft 469 of which extends downward at right angles to the rotational axes of the floating shafts 430 and 446 and is corotatably coupled to a screw 470 supported for rotation in a pillow block bearing 472 afiixed to a control box 476 mounted by the bracket 478 on the column 20. A track (not shown) is mounted in the control box and guides the movement of a control rod 480 in directions parallel to the rotation axis of the screw 470. A suitably threaded nut 482 affixed to the upper end of the control rod 480, and prevented thereby from rotating with respect to the screw 470, is movable upwardly or downwardly along the screw a distance directly proportional to the movement of the conveyors C and D with respect to the central plane 36. Visual indication of the amount of displacement is provided by a scale 486 afiixed to the column 18 and a pointer 488 fixed to the side member 210. Within the control box 476 a plurality of limit or position switches are adjustably affixed along the track, each limit switch being engageable by switch-actuating means on the control rod. As will become apparent presently, each switch is associated by a suitable electric circuit with a particular predetermined position of the conveyor belts 220 and 226 and the stock thereon, so as to provide a suitable displacement or offset of the respective stock with respect to the midcircumferential line of the drum. The control box described is commercially available from Hanna Fluid Power Division, Chicago, lll., and named by them a Limit Switch Assembly PR-2."

FOURTH PART: OPERATION AND CONTROL in placing the apparatus in use, the trucks 40 each having a supply roll R,R' are moved into operative relation with letoff A and letoff B as has been described. From letoff A, stock S is threaded, as may be seen in FIG. 1, into the loop 140, over the conveyor D, to the predetermined line 372 where the leading edge E is ready to be moved to the drum 12. Stock S from letoff B is in like manner extended into the loop 140' and over the conveyor C so that its forward or leading edge E is located at the line 370. In each letoffA and B, the separating liner L is passed from the respective roll R,R to and around the respective reversing rolls 130,130 to wind several convolutions of the liner about the cores 64,64, fixing the liner thereon against relative movement. in beginning the ply-serving cycles, the bottoms of the loops 140,140 are located at intermediate heights between their maximum downward extents, detected by the photocells 150,150 and their minimum downward extents, detected by the photocells 160,160, but preferably at or near the minimum.

To effect control of the operation of the apparatus 10, control means in the form of a plurality of circuits include particularly a stepping program controller by which successive circuit combinations are established in a preset sequence in response to a single command by an operator, effected by actuation of a foot switch or the like.

Referring now to FIGS. through 9, and in particular to F IG. 5, the system 500 of specific circuits of the apparatus employed in the practice of the present invention is illustrated. The system 500 comprises a conventional power supply 502 connectable to ,a conventional source of electric power for driving motors and the like, including a stepdown transformer providing a reduced control voltage supply across the lines LlB,L2A but being conventional is not shown in detail in the drawings. The circuits to be described also include emergency or safety and reset circuits represented at 504 which being conventional are not shown in detail. It will be appreciated also that the system 500 can be combined with a control system for the tire-building machine. So much of the control system 500 of the apparatus 10 as interrelates with control of the tire-building machine is shown in the drawings. The lines LlA and LZA are respectively the hot and neutral lines of the control system. The line LIB is connected to the power supply 502 independently of the emergency reset S04 and remains connected for certain operations, as will be observed independently of interruption of power by or from the reset circuit 504. An additional hot line LlC with conventional overcurrent protection is also supplied from 504.

Referring also to FIG. 6, the control system 500 includes a stepping program controller 510 which, in the specific embodiment being described herein, is a commercially available unit identified as a Tenor Stepping Drum Programmer, obtainable from the Tenor Company of New Berlin, Wis. The Tenor controller 510, the interior of which is not shown, includes a drum, step driven by an electric motor and gear train through a Geneva mechanism, the drum having a matrix of holes into which actuating plugs are inserted in a program array and each of which, in the selected sequence becomes engaged by successive rotational steps of the drum with a switch element operative to actuate or energize a particular circuit to which it is connected. The controller 510 also includes a Tap Switch 512, also available from the Tenor Company, having a contact arm or wiper mounted in mechanical corotational relation with the drum of the controller. The tap switch plate has a plurality of contacts in circular array held stationary with respect to the controller housing while the wiper is rotated by the drum to touch successive ones of the contacts. When the tap switch contact on which the wiper rests is energized by the foot switch 550, contacts of relay 584 being closed, relay 552 is energized which in turn causes the controller drum to index one space. Being ready to apply a length of stock from the apparatus 10 to the building drum 22, the operator depresses a foot switch 550, stepping the drum of 510 to the position in which the step switch 554 is closed to energize server control relay 556. The tap switch 557 is also closed at this step.

Closure of the relay 556 causes the motor starter 558 to make contact energizing the letoff motor 101 which, as has been described hereinabove, drives to unwind stock S from the supply roll R by winding the separating liner L onto the liner core 64 and supplying stock over the stripping roll 134 into the loop 140. The starter 558 remains energized until sufficient stock has entered the loop 140 to interrupt the light beam of the photocell 140 whereupon the starter 558 and the motor 101 are deenergized. Additional contacts of the starter 558 when energized by relay 556 energize the solenoid valve 560 which admits air pressure to partially reduce the braking effort in the letoff brake to a torque sufficient to provide only against overrunning, i.e., rotation at a greater rate than the winding of the liner by the motor, off the roll R.

It will also be observed in FIG. 6 that the circuits include selector switches 540,540 by which the manual control circuits connected by 540,540 together with belt direction selector pushbuttons 541,541, loop increase pushbuttons 543,543 and letoff motor drive selector pushbuttons 545,545, may be substituted for the automatic circuit above described and by which the winding or unwinding operations of the supply roll R or R may be facilitated during start-up of a fresh supply roll in the letotT A or the letoff B, respectively.

As will be apparent from FIG. 6, a subsequent stepping of the controller 510 energizing the tap switch 565 will close the step switch 566 energizing the relay 568 whereupon the starter 570 is energized to start the letofT motor 101 in a manner identical to the operation described with reference to the motor 101.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the relay 556 on being energized also activates the server time delay 574 and the relay 576 substantially simultaneously. The relay 576 actuates a solenoid valve 578 which operates to engage the clutch 256. On being energized, the timer 574 closes the contacts of motor starter 580 energizing the motor 250 to move the belt 226 of the conveyor C and stock thereon toward the drum 22. When 574 times out, the motor 250 is deenergized and a timer 582 is energized to provide a dwell time during which the brake of the motor 250 operates to stop the movement of the conveyor belt 226.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the timers 574 and 582 are adjusted to provide in combination a time interval such that the leading edge E of the stock on the belt 226 is moved by the belt from its predetermined transverse line 372, at which the stock at rest terminates, to a preferred position relative to the drum 22, where the leading edge E of the stock intersects the midcircumferential line about the drum 22 in the upper quadrant Q of the drum toward the operator. The edge E of the stock will generally cross the midcircumferential line at from 50 to about 90 toward the operator from the top of the drum. The position of such edge depends upon the bias angle of the cords or wires in stock S and can be adjusted to some degree to suit individual differences to provide for maximum efi'iciency and convenience. The purpose of locating the edge Eon the drum as described is to ensure that the entire length of the leading edge E can be adhered on the drum without disarranging cords or wires of the ply stock relative to each other or the intended position of the edge upon the drum. When timer 582 times out, control relay 584 is energized causing relay contacts 584a to open and 584b to close, setting up the foot switch 550 to retract stock upon its next actuation without indexing the controller 510, and solenoid valves 586,588 respectively to admit air to engage the clutch devices 320 and 282. The apparatus is now ready for the stock or ply to be wrapped about the drum.

The operator depresses a foot switch 590, FIG. 5, to make contact to energize a timer 592. Upon release of the foot switch 590, the timer 592 will start to time a preset time interval in which the drum rotation drive motor starter 594 is energized. The preset time interval in timer 592 is effective to cause the drum drive motor (not shown) to rotate the drum 22 a predetermined part, generally about three-fourths, of a single revolution by which the leading edge E of the ply is moved around the drum 22 to a position convenient for making a splice, joining the respective ends of stock on the drum to make a circumferentially continuous ply. During rotation of the drum 12, the conveyor belt 226 and the stock thereon are driven at substantially identical surface speeds therewith by the driving connection between the drum spindle 292 and the roll 230 including the variable speed ratio device 280 and the clutches 320 and 282. When the timer 592 times out, the motor starter 594 is deenergized and thereby activates a time delay 596 actuating the solenoid valve 597 operative to apply the brake 340 which operates through the described driving connection between the roll 230, the shaft 296, and the drum 22 to stop rotation of the building drum at the end of the aforesaid part of one revolution thereof. Energizing the timer 502 is also effective to energize relay 598 while deenergizing timer 596 is effective to energize relay 600 for a time during which the server time delay 602 is held energized. When timer 596 times out, relay 600 is deenergized causing timer 602 to produce an impulse which energizes latching relay 604 which operates the solenoid valves 586 and 588 to disengage clutches of the devices 320 and 282. The conveyor belt 226 is now uncoupled from any driving relation with the machine spindle and is at rest.

The operator then cuts the stock S to the required ply length. As he makes the splice, he again depresses foot switch 550, FIG. 5. Upon release of the switch 550, the timer 608 by its connecting wire 609 produces an impulse which energizes the latching relay 610 through 556, FIG. 6. One contact of relay 610 opens to deenergize relay 584 thereby causing the relay contacts 584a to close and 584b to open setting up the foot switch 550 to index the controller 510 to the next plyserving step and actuating the solenoid valves 586,588 to disengage the clutch devices 320 and 282. Another contact of relay 610 closes to energize timer 614 which operates to engage the clutch device 256 and the starter contacts 616 whereupon the conveyor belt 226 is driven to move the ply stock and the newly cut leading edge thereof away from the building drum 22 until the new leading edge comes into registry with the photocell unit 376 whereupon the starter 616 is deenergized and the brake of the motor 250 operates to stop the belt 226. Movement of the stock S away from the drum 22 also moves a length of stock into the loop from the belt 226 whereupon the conveyor D and the letotf A are ready to repeat the cycle described. It will be evident from inspection of the system 500 in FIGS. 6 and 7 that the cycle of operation of the letoff B in and the conveyor C is in all significant respects like the cycle described above with reference to letoff A and conveyor D, and that the circuits employed include components substantially identical to the components discussed in the course of the above description. Before describing application of stock to the drum from letoff B, the feature of lateral movement of the conveyors C and D will be described.

The apparatus is capable of delivering stock for oneor twoply tires in which no necessity arises for moving the conveying means laterally with respect to the tire-building drum to produce offset for stepoff of one ply axially of the drum with respect to another or with respect to the midcircumferential line about the drum. For tires in which successive plies are applied in differing axial positions from one or both or all of the conveyors, means for controlling the lateral movement of the conveying means is provided in the system 500 in successive combinations of circuits connected in preset sequence by the stepping program controller 510 which circuits will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 8, the control system 500 includes the manual selector switch 650 which is operative to select one of a pair of circuits, the first of which is selected for oneor twoply application in which the apparatus maintains the conveying means stationary in a generally centered position relative to the plane 36. In the second circuit selected by switch 650 for four-ply control, a plurality of manual selector switches 652, 654, 656, 658, respectively, provide for connection, as will be discussed, with position responsive switches mounted in the control box 476 and engageable sequentially individually with the control rod 480 as the rod is moved by the nut 482, as previously described.

To effect the lateral movement of the conveyors C and D and the stock thereon for application of, for example, a second ply following the previously described ply, the opera tor again depresses the foot switch 550 causing the stepping program controller 510 to index, causing the stepping switch 566 to energize server control relay 568 whereupon the circuit is completed through the selector switch 650 in the four-ply position and the second ply selector switch 654 in, for example, its second position, thence through a position switch 670 to energize starter 680 causing the shift motor 410 to move the conveyors C and D to the left, as seen in FIG. 4, the screw 470 moving the control rod 480 sufficiently to open switch 670 and thereby deenergize the starter 680, whereupon the motor 410 stops and holds the conveyors C and D in a new position indicated in FIG. 4 by the phantom lines 700 offset laterally with respect to the immediately preceding position shown, for serving a ply of stock from supply roll R at the offset position described.

As was previously mentioned, closing the stepping switch 566 initiates an operating cycle in letoff B and of the conveyor C identical in all respects to that described with reference to the letoff A and its associated conveyor D. It will be recalled that stock from the letofi B is moved over and by the conveyor C.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the relay 568 on being energized through the switch 506 activates the server time delay 720 and thereby the relay 722 substantially simultaneously. The relay 722 actuates a solenoid valve 724 which operates to engage the clutch 260. On being energized, the timer 720 also energizes the motor starter 616 energizing the motor 250 to move the belt 220 and stock thereon toward the drum 22. When the timer 720 times out, the motor 250 is deenergized and the timer 582 is again energized to provide a dwell time during which the brake of the motor'250 operates as before to stop the movement of the conveyor belt 220.

The timers 720 and 582 are adjusted to provide in combination a time interval such that the leading edge E of the stock on the belt 220 is moved by the belt from its predetermined transverse line 370 at which the stock at rest terminates, to the before-described preferred position thereof relative to the drum 22. The edge E of the stock also intersects the midcircumferential line about the drum 22 in the upper quadrant Q of the drum toward the operator. The edge E of the stock being applied will generally cross, as before (except that the bias angle of the cord will usually be opposite in hand) the midcircumferential line at from 50 to about 90 toward the operator from the top of the drum for the same purpose as set forth above.

The drum 22 will preferably be stopped, for second and subsequent plies, at an angular location displaced from the location whereat a preceding edge E and the splice therewith was placed, such that the splices in successively applied plies will be spaced at angular or arcuate intervals about the periphery of the drum. When timer 582 again times out, control relay 584 is again energized causing solenoid valves 728,588 to effect engagement respectively of the clutch devices 322 and 282. The apparatus is now ready for the stock for the second ply, i.e., from the letotf B and conveyor C, to be wrapped about the drum 22.

The operator again depresses the foot switch 590 to make contact to energize the timer 592, FIG. 6. Upon release of the foot switch 590, timer 592 will start, as before, to time a preset time interval to rotate the drum 22 so that the leading edge E of the ply being applied is moved around the drum 22 to a position like that previously described for making the splice. During rotation of the drum 22, the conveyor belt 220 and the stock thereon are driven at substantially identical surface speeds therewith by the driving connection, between the drum spindle 292 and the roll 224, including the variable speed ratio device 280 and the clutches of 322 and 282. When timer 592 times out, the motor starter 594 is again deenergized and activates the time delay 596 which acts to apply the brake 340 which operates through the described driving connection between the shaft 296 and the drum 22 to stop rotation of the building drum at the end of the aforesaid part of one revolution thereof. Energizing the timer S92 is also effective to energize relay 598 while deenergizing timer 596 is again effective to energize relay 600 for a time during which the server time delay 602 is held energized. When timer 596 times out, the relay 600 is deenergized causing timer 602 to produce an impulse which energizes relay 604 which operates the solenoid valves 728 and 588 to disengage clutches 322 and 282. The conveyor belt 220 is now uncoupled from any driving relation with the machine spindle and is at rest.

The operator then cuts the stock S to the required ply length. As he makes the splice, he again depresses foot switch 550. Upon release of the switch 550, the timer 608 produces an impulse which energizes the latching relay 730 through the relay 568. One contact of the relay 730 opens to deenergize relay 584 thereby actuating the solenoid valves 7241and 588 to disengage the clutch devices 322 and 282. Another contact of relay 730 closes to energize a timer 720 which operates to engage the clutch device 260 and the starter contacts 580 whereupon the conveyor belt 220 is driven to move the ply stock and the newly cut leading edge thereof away from the building drum 22 and place the newly formed leading edge into registry with the photocell unit 374 whereupon the signal emitted by the unit 374 deenergizes the starter 580, and the motor 250, stopping the belt 220.

A third and fourth ply, respectively, can be offset with respect to the drum 22, in like manner, the selector switches 656 and 658 being preset to connect with appropriate position switches in the control box 476.

As will be apparent from FIG. 8, movement of the conveyors C and D effected to serve any one of a plurality of plies in a stepofi or offset relation with respect to an immediately previously applied ply can be made in either direction, right or left.

A third ply can be applied to the carcass on the drum 12, initiating the serving step by actuating the foot switch 550. For the third ply, the controller 510 closes the stepping switch 742, instead of 554, energizing the relay 744, instead of the relay 556, and otherwise repeating the cycle described above with respect to the first appiied ply, contacts of the relay 744 closing to energize the direction of offset selected in the selector switch 656. Likewise, a fourth ply is applied, again actuating the switch 550, indexing the controller 510 to close the stepping switch 740 instead of the switch 566, energizing the relay 752 and the timer 753 instead of the relay 568 and timer 720, and otherwise repeating the cycle substantially as described for the application of the second ply.

The apparatus described provides for unwinding stock from large supply rolls, for conveying stock so unwound from said rolls to place a leading edge of the stock served in predetermined relation with a building drum and, after a suitable length is separated therefrom, moving the stock out of the operators way, as well as for control of the apparatus in response to successive single actuation of a switch or the like by the operator.

The term stock" as used herein is intended to include any material in ply or sheet form prepared for use in building a tire carcass, and which material generally is a tire reinforcement fabric having cords or wires extending transversely of the running length of the material from edge-to-edge thereof, suitable for radial ply or for bias ply tires.

The term stepoff as used herein refers to a difference in extent or location, in a direction parallel to the building drum axis 24, of one edge of one circumferential ply on said drum with respect to a corresponding edge of another such ply. The related term offset refers to the movement of one such ply with respect to another such ply prior to contact therebetween laterally, parallelly of said axis 22 by which such stepoff is accomplished. The stock supplied from the rolls R and R can be of equal width or of difi'ering widths. In the latter case stepoff is obtained without offset of the conveying means. Successive plies of stock from the same supply roll can, of course, be offset to provide stepoff thereof.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for serving a running length of tire-building stock from a supply roll thereof to a tire-building drum comprising means for unwinding said stock from said roll, means including conveying means having elongated endless surface means engageable and movable with the stock received from said roll to carry the stock free of relative movement with respect to said surface means engaged therewith between said roll and said drum, and reversible first drive means operatively connected to said conveying means to move said surface means an amount and in a direction to place a leading edge portion of said stock into predetermined proximate relation with said drum and in a reverse direction to move said stock away from said drum.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, control means connected to said first drive means and effective to locate said edge to cross the midcircumferential centerline of said drum at a point located in the top near side quadrant of the drum as related to the normal position of the operator of said drum.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, means connected to said first drive means and operative when the same moves said stock away from said drum to place the newly formed leading edge thereof at a predetermined location with respect to a transverse line across said means for conveying.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising second drive means including means for adjusting the speed ratio of said second drive means drivingly connected between said conveying means and said drum and operable independently of the said first drive means to move said conveying means at a surface speed substantially equal to the surface speed of said drum while said leading edge portion is wrapped about said drum by rotation thereof.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, including a brake connected to said second drive means, and a control circuit operatively connected with said brake and operative to decelerate said conveying means and said drum equally while said stock extends continuously between said drum and said conveying means.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising means accommodating a loop or festoon of stock between said roll and said means for receiving said stock, said first drive means being operative in the first said direction to remove stock from said loop to said conveying means and in the said reverse direction to enter stock into said loop from said conveying means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising means accommodating a loop or festoon of stock between said roll and said means for receiving said stock, said first drive means being operative in the first said direction to remove stock from said loop to said means for receiving the same and in the said reverse direction to move stock from said means for conveying stock into said loop, and second drive means including means for adjusting the speed ratio of the second drive means drivingly connected between said means for conveying and said drum and operable independently of the said first drive means to move said means for conveying stock at a surface speed equal to the surface speed of said drum while said stock extends continuously between its surface contact with said means for conveying and its engagement on said drum.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, comprising first and second spindles in corotational engagement with said means for unwinding and mounted for rotation about respective axes spaced apart from and parallel to each other and to the axis of said drum, said first spindle corotatably supporting a core having said supply roll wound thereupon, said second spindle corotatably supporting a core upon which a separating liner interwound with stock in said roll can be wound, and means drivingly connected to said second spindle to wind said liner upon the core supported thereon, thereby to effect unwinding of said liner and said stock from the roll mounted on said first spindle, said drivingly connected means being operative independently ofother said drive means.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, including first and second sensing means for sensing a first and a second downward extent of said loop respectively, circuit means responsive to the respective sensing means and operative to control said drivingly connected means during each stock-tobuilding-drum applying cycle to energize the last said means at said first extent and to deenergize the last said means at said second extent.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a truck having wheels supporting the same for movement thereof into and out of cooperative association with said means for unwinding, first and second spindles mounted on said truck about respective axes spaced apart and parallel to each other, first and second coupling means rotatably fixed in said apparatus and releasably engageable one with each of said spindles in corotational driving relation, said means for unwinding including means drivingly connected to said first coupling means and operative to wind said liner about said first spindle while thereby unwinding said liner and said stock from a core having said supply roll wound thereon and mounted on said second spindle.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, said first drive means including a reversible motor mounted on said means for conveying, circuit means operable to energize said motor in a sense corresponding to movement of stock on said conveying means toward said building drum, said circuit means including means for stopping said means for conveying when the leading edge of said stock is moved into a predetermined proximate relation with said drum.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, said means for conveying including a plurality of endless looped belts and a driving roll respectively drivingly engaging each of said belts, a clutch device operatively connected between said motor and each one of said rolls and each operative selectively to drive the respectively associated roll in a direction corresponding to the sense of rotation of said motor.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, said second drive means including a clutch device operable selectively to connect and to disconnect said conveying means and said drum.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, said means for conveying including a plurality of endless belts and a driving roll respectively drivingly engaging each of said belts, said second drive means including clutch devices operatively connecting a selected one said driving roll and said drum, a brake connected to decelerate said belts, and control means operative to apply said brake while said drum is decelerated.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a frame, a plurality of wheel-mounted trucks each having a first spindle rotatably supported thereon for carrying said supply roll into operative relation with said unwinding means and a second spindle rotatably supported thereon for winding a separating liner thereon while said liner is thereby unwound from said roll, said means for unwinding including coupling means mounted rotatably on said frame for corotatably engaging each said second spindle and means connected to said coupling means to effect rotation thereof in a direction to wind said liner about said second spindle from the respectively associated roll, said conveying means comprising a pair of endless looped fiat belts each receiving a running length of said stock from one of said rolls, and second drive means including a variable speed ratio device drivingly connected between said conveying means and said drum and operable independently of said first drive means to move a selected one of said belts at a surface speed equal to the surface speed of said drum.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, including means for selectively energizing successive circuit combinations in preset sequence in response to a sequence of single commands by an operator, said combinations including a first circuit operative when energized to engage said first drive means to move a selected belt of said conveying means and the stock thereon a preset distance forward to place a leading edge thereof into proximity with said drum, a second circuit operative when energized to disengage said first drive means and to engage said second drive means to move the said selected belt while said edge is wrapped about said drum, and a third circuit operative when energized to disengage said second drive means and engage said first drive means to move said stock away from said drum.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a truck rotatably supporting a spindle carrying said supply roll and having wheels supporting the truck for movement thereof into and out of cooperative association with said means for unwinding, said conveying means including side members extending longitudinally of said direction, a frame fixed relative to said drum, a plurality of cross-slide members carried on said frame and supporting said side members for translating movement of the conveying means laterally of said frame and parallel to the axis of said drum whereby said stock can be shifted relative to the axial length of said drum.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, including means for moving said conveying means laterally comprising at least one screw-threaded shaft extending parallel to the axis of the drum and at least one correspondingly screw-threaded nut nonrotatably connected to said conveying means.

19, Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, comprising a second screw-threaded shaft connected to the first said screwthreaded shaft for rotation directly proportional to any rotation thereof, a second nut having screw threads corresponding to the threads of said second shaft engaging said second shaft for relative axial movement therebetween, a control rod connected to said second nut for movement responsive to movement of said second nut, and a plurality of limit switch devices mounted in fixed position relative to said frame and respectively engageable with said control rod at predetermined movements thereof.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, including means for selectively energizing successive circuit combinations in preset sequence in response to a sequence of single commands by an operator, said combinations including a first circuit operative when energized to engage said first drive means to move a selected belt of said conveying means and the stock thereon a preset distance forward to place a leading edge thereof into proximity with said drum, a second circuit operative when energized to disengage said first drive means and to engage said second drive means to move the said selected belt while said edge is wrapped about said drum, and a third circuit operative when energized to disengage said second drive means and engage said first drive means to move said stock away from said drum, said conveying means including side members extending longitudinally of said direction, a frame fixed relative to said drum, a plurality of cross-slide members carried on said frame and supporting said side members for translating movement of the conveying means laterally of said frame and parallel to the axis of said drum whereby said stock can be shifted relative to the axial length of said drum, means for moving said conveying means laterally comprising at least one screw-threaded shaft extending parallel to the axis of the drum and at least one correspondingly screw-threaded nut nonrotatably connected to said conveying means, said combination further including a circuit operable when energized to activate said means for moving said conveying means laterally a predetermined distance from a centered position.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, means for sensing a leading edge of said stock mounted in fixed relation to a line extending across said conveying means for emitting a signal responsive to movement of said edge into registry with said line, and means responsive to said signal to halt movement of said conveying means by said first drive means.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, said means for unwinding including a plurality of motors, a plurality of spindles each corotatably supporting one said supply roll, a second plurality of spindles each corotatably supporting a liner winding core, coupling means coupling each of said second spindles respectively to one of said motors to be rotated thereby, a plurality of said conveying means each having a stock-receiving end operatively associated with a respective one said supply roll, a roll cooperating with each said conveying means receiving stock thereover from a respectively associated supply roll to support a depending loop of stock therebetween, said first drive means being operative in said reverse direction to move said stock away from said drum and into said loop, and photoresponsive means operatively connected to said first drive means to deenergize the same when an end of said stock is moved a predetermined distance away from said drum.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, comprising a plurality of said means for unwinding, a plurality of trucks adapted for wheeled movement upon the floor adjacent said apparatus and into operative association with said means for unwinding, each said truck having a spindle for rotatably supporting one of said supply rolls, a plurality of said means for conveying arranged in parallel over-and-under relation and each inclined downwardly from respective stock-receiving ends thereof toward said drum, each said means for conveying receiving stock thereover from a respectively associated one of said rolls.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 623, 677 Dated November 30, 1971 Inventor(S) Paul E. Appleby and James C. McGarr It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 7, delete "of" +O, "let-off" should read identifying Column 3, lines h r-H, delete "alone is reversed in its direction of movement to travel generally downward over a spreader bar 132 and around the liner" (printed twice) Column 8, line 5 gphotocell 1H0" should read photocell Column 10, line 17, before "system" insert control l8, delete "in", first occurrence Column 12, line 21, "7M0" should read 75'0 Signed and sealed this 13th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOT'I'SCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. Apparatus for serving a running length of tire-building stock from a supply roll thereof to a tire-building drum comprising means for unwinding said stock from said roll, means including conveying means having elongated endless surface means engageable and movable with the stock received from said roll to carry the stock free of relative movement with respect to said surface means engaged therewith between said roll and said drum, and reversible first drive means operatiVely connected to said conveying means to move said surface means an amount and in a direction to place a leading edge portion of said stock into predetermined proximate relation with said drum and in a reverse direction to move said stock away from said drum.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, control means connected to said first drive means and effective to locate said edge to cross the midcircumferential centerline of said drum at a point located in the top near side quadrant of the drum as related to the normal position of the operator of said drum.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, means connected to said first drive means and operative when the same moves said stock away from said drum to place the newly formed leading edge thereof at a predetermined location with respect to a transverse line across said means for conveying.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising second drive means including means for adjusting the speed ratio of said second drive means drivingly connected between said conveying means and said drum and operable independently of the said first drive means to move said conveying means at a surface speed substantially equal to the surface speed of said drum while said leading edge portion is wrapped about said drum by rotation thereof.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, including a brake connected to said second drive means, and a control circuit operatively connected with said brake and operative to decelerate said conveying means and said drum equally while said stock extends continuously between said drum and said conveying means.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising means accommodating a loop or festoon of stock between said roll and said means for receiving said stock, said first drive means being operative in the first said direction to remove stock from said loop to said conveying means and in the said reverse direction to enter stock into said loop from said conveying means.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising means accommodating a loop or festoon of stock between said roll and said means for receiving said stock, said first drive means being operative in the first said direction to remove stock from said loop to said means for receiving the same and in the said reverse direction to move stock from said means for conveying stock into said loop, and second drive means including means for adjusting the speed ratio of the second drive means drivingly connected between said means for conveying and said drum and operable independently of the said first drive means to move said means for conveying stock at a surface speed equal to the surface speed of said drum while said stock extends continuously between its surface contact with said means for conveying and its engagement on said drum.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, comprising first and second spindles in corotational engagement with said means for unwinding and mounted for rotation about respective axes spaced apart from and parallel to each other and to the axis of said drum, said first spindle corotatably supporting a core having said supply roll wound thereupon, said second spindle corotatably supporting a core upon which a separating liner interwound with stock in said roll can be wound, and means drivingly connected to said second spindle to wind said liner upon the core supported thereon, thereby to effect unwinding of said liner and said stock from the roll mounted on said first spindle, said drivingly connected means being operative independently of other said drive means.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, including first and second sensing means for sensing a first and a second downward extent of said loop respectively, circuit means responsive to the respective sensing means and operative to control said drivingly connected means during each stock-to-building-drum applying cycle to energize the last said means at said first extent and to deenergize the last said means at said second extent.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 inclUding a truck having wheels supporting the same for movement thereof into and out of cooperative association with said means for unwinding, first and second spindles mounted on said truck about respective axes spaced apart and parallel to each other, first and second coupling means rotatably fixed in said apparatus and releasably engageable one with each of said spindles in corotational driving relation, said means for unwinding including means drivingly connected to said first coupling means and operative to wind said liner about said first spindle while thereby unwinding said liner and said stock from a core having said supply roll wound thereon and mounted on said second spindle.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, said first drive means including a reversible motor mounted on said means for conveying, circuit means operable to energize said motor in a sense corresponding to movement of stock on said conveying means toward said building drum, said circuit means including means for stopping said means for conveying when the leading edge of said stock is moved into a predetermined proximate relation with said drum.
 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, said means for conveying including a plurality of endless looped belts and a driving roll respectively drivingly engaging each of said belts, a clutch device operatively connected between said motor and each one of said rolls and each operative selectively to drive the respectively associated roll in a direction corresponding to the sense of rotation of said motor.
 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, said second drive means including a clutch device operable selectively to connect and to disconnect said conveying means and said drum.
 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, said means for conveying including a plurality of endless belts and a driving roll respectively drivingly engaging each of said belts, said second drive means including clutch devices operatively connecting a selected one said driving roll and said drum, a brake connected to decelerate said belts, and control means operative to apply said brake while said drum is decelerated.
 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a frame, a plurality of wheel-mounted trucks each having a first spindle rotatably supported thereon for carrying said supply roll into operative relation with said unwinding means and a second spindle rotatably supported thereon for winding a separating liner thereon while said liner is thereby unwound from said roll, said means for unwinding including coupling means mounted rotatably on said frame for corotatably engaging each said second spindle and means connected to said coupling means to effect rotation thereof in a direction to wind said liner about said second spindle from the respectively associated roll, said conveying means comprising a pair of endless looped flat belts each receiving a running length of said stock from one of said rolls, and second drive means including a variable speed ratio device drivingly connected between said conveying means and said drum and operable independently of said first drive means to move a selected one of said belts at a surface speed equal to the surface speed of said drum.
 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, including means for selectively energizing successive circuit combinations in preset sequence in response to a sequence of single commands by an operator, said combinations including a first circuit operative when energized to engage said first drive means to move a selected belt of said conveying means and the stock thereon a preset distance forward to place a leading edge thereof into proximity with said drum, a second circuit operative when energized to disengage said first drive means and to engage said second drive means to move the said selected belt while said edge is wrapped about said drum, and a third circuit operative when energized to disengage said second drive means and engage said first drive means to move said stock away from said drum.
 17. Apparatus as claiMed in claim 7, further comprising a truck rotatably supporting a spindle carrying said supply roll and having wheels supporting the truck for movement thereof into and out of cooperative association with said means for unwinding, said conveying means including side members extending longitudinally of said direction, a frame fixed relative to said drum, a plurality of cross-slide members carried on said frame and supporting said side members for translating movement of the conveying means laterally of said frame and parallel to the axis of said drum whereby said stock can be shifted relative to the axial length of said drum.
 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, including means for moving said conveying means laterally comprising at least one screw-threaded shaft extending parallel to the axis of the drum and at least one correspondingly screw-threaded nut nonrotatably connected to said conveying means.
 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, comprising a second screw-threaded shaft connected to the first said screw-threaded shaft for rotation directly proportional to any rotation thereof, a second nut having screw threads corresponding to the threads of said second shaft engaging said second shaft for relative axial movement therebetween, a control rod connected to said second nut for movement responsive to movement of said second nut, and a plurality of limit switch devices mounted in fixed position relative to said frame and respectively engageable with said control rod at predetermined movements thereof.
 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, including means for selectively energizing successive circuit combinations in preset sequence in response to a sequence of single commands by an operator, said combinations including a first circuit operative when energized to engage said first drive means to move a selected belt of said conveying means and the stock thereon a preset distance forward to place a leading edge thereof into proximity with said drum, a second circuit operative when energized to disengage said first drive means and to engage said second drive means to move the said selected belt while said edge is wrapped about said drum, and a third circuit operative when energized to disengage said second drive means and engage said first drive means to move said stock away from said drum, said conveying means including side members extending longitudinally of said direction, a frame fixed relative to said drum, a plurality of cross-slide members carried on said frame and supporting said side members for translating movement of the conveying means laterally of said frame and parallel to the axis of said drum whereby said stock can be shifted relative to the axial length of said drum, means for moving said conveying means laterally comprising at least one screw-threaded shaft extending parallel to the axis of the drum and at least one correspondingly screw-threaded nut nonrotatably connected to said conveying means, said combination further including a circuit operable when energized to activate said means for moving said conveying means laterally a predetermined distance from a centered position.
 21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, means for sensing a leading edge of said stock mounted in fixed relation to a line extending across said conveying means for emitting a signal responsive to movement of said edge into registry with said line, and means responsive to said signal to halt movement of said conveying means by said first drive means.
 22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, said means for unwinding including a plurality of motors, a plurality of spindles each corotatably supporting one said supply roll, a second plurality of spindles each corotatably supporting a liner winding core, coupling means coupling each of said second spindles respectively to one of said motors to be rotated thereby, a plurality of said conveying means each having a stock-receiving end operatively associated with a respective one said supply roll, a roll cooperating with each said conveying means receiving stock thereover from a respectively associated supply roll to support a depending loop of stock therebetween, said first drive means being operative in said reverse direction to move said stock away from said drum and into said loop, and photoresponsive means operatively connected to said first drive means to deenergize the same when an end of said stock is moved a predetermined distance away from said drum.
 23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, comprising a plurality of said means for unwinding, a plurality of trucks adapted for wheeled movement upon the floor adjacent said apparatus and into operative association with said means for unwinding, each said truck having a spindle for rotatably supporting one of said supply rolls, a plurality of said means for conveying arranged in parallel over-and-under relation and each inclined downwardly from respective stock-receiving ends thereof toward said drum, each said means for conveying receiving stock thereover from a respectively associated one of said rolls. 